age.

Warehouse Management
Training
19-20 November 2019 | Vientiane, Laos

Contacts
Patricia Thornhill Logistics Preparedness expert patricia.thornhill@wfp.org
Toulor Xiamai Logistics Preparedness Officer toulor.xiamai@wfp.org
 Warehouse Management Training
Lao PDR Preparedness

Introduction

The warehouse management training was developed in context to the Lao PDR Government’s needs and capacity. Stock forms,
an electronic stock record, and warehouse manuals were created by the project in collaboration with MLSW, and in accordance
with their knowledge levels and approval processes.

The training was held over two days in Vientiane Capital, one theory day at the Crown Plaza hotel, and one practical day in the
MLSW relief item warehouse. And delivered by Alan Johnson, RedR Australia regional coordinator/trainer; Patricia Thornhill, GLC
Logistics Preparedness Expert; and supported by WFP logistics staff.

the 28 participants included 7 MLSW national staff, 19 PLSW staff - one from each Province including 2 staff from Attapeu where
there is a large warehouse, and 2 Lao Red Cross national staff. MLSW invited Lao Red Cross so that they get familiar with their
procedures in case they were required to assist directly. Out of 28 participants, 5 were female.

Up until the training, MLSW had no records of the stock that had been distributed from the warehouses to the beneficiaries, nor
up to date records of what stock was in their warehouses. The importance of the training was reflected by the Director General
of MLSW; and Country Director of WFP, who opened the training.

The purpose of the training was to train participants and implement the newly designed warehouse management system and do
a clean-up and real time stock inventory of the warehouse recorded in the system.

Background

Lao PDR has had consecutive flooding events in 2018 and 2019. The first led to approximately 5,000 people permanently displaced
after a dam collapsed. This year two storm events resulted in flooding across 6 provinces with over 650,000 people affected and
over 100,000 temporarily displaced at the height of the event.

The Lao PDR Government was inundated with donations of relief items in 2018 and established a fixed relief item warehouse
complemented by two WFP-owned Mobile Storage Units (MSU). As the 2019 event was significantly larger, Provinces needed to
set up a temporary warehouse for the storage and distribution of relief items.

The Lao PDR Government had not been trained in warehouse management, therefore the storage, tracking and distribution of
relief items had not been accounted for correctly. MLSW has identified a need for the Logistics Preparedness project to:
• Assist the Government in training their focal points in National and Provincial locations in warehouse management.
• Establish a Prepositioned Relief Item warehouse in Vientiane.
• Assist to set up relief item stock management tools/systems.
• Support the pre-positioning and assembly training of Mobile Storage Units across Lao PDR for emergency relief item
storage.

The proposed warehouse management training supports the ability for Lao PDR to preposition, receive and distribute emergency
relief items, and account for them during disasters.

https://logcluster.org/preparedness/laopdr19
 Warehouse Management Training
Lao PDR Preparedness

Training Objectives

The following objectives were achieved during the workshop:

• To train relevant Lao PDR staff on how to set up and manage fixed and temporary warehousing of relief items.
• To provide to the Government simple sustainable tools for the stock management and tracking of relief items.

Training structure

Classroom training
During the theory part of the warehouse management training, participants were gathered in a classroom to be trained on the
use of powerpoint and they completed exercises and group work including the following topics:
- Setting up and maintaining a warehouse;
- Storage and transport calculation exercises to determine the space and track/shipping containers required for different
stock levels, and to introduce the new stock recording and tracking forms.

Practical warehouse training

Participants got to apply the theory at the practical warehouse training session to trial and reinforce the learning. This was done
by group warehouse assessment, scenario exercises and real time stacking, stock inventory and use of stack, and stock forms
and the electronic record.

Lessons and outcomes

1. Selecting an appropriate warehouse

2. Staff and equipment
3. Capacity of a warehouse
4. Essential calculations
5. Warehouse operations
6. Stock management and control
7. Issues and Scenarios based on recent floods

Lessons 1 and 2
• Most participants attended the MSU assembly training which included warehouse set up. The RedR trainer observed
that the groups understood the key elements of selecting a warehouse, set up, staff and equipment which was
unexpected for a group that had not undergone any warehouse training before. This suggests the knowledge from the
MSU training session was retained by participants which is a positive indication for future sustainability.

Lessons 3 and 4
• The calculations seemed new to most staff but in the group work about storage and transport scenarios they were able
to work together through the capacity and weight calculations and all got the correct answers. More practice will likely
be required to retain the knowledge and to this end, guidelines and reference materials were provided.

https://logcluster.org/preparedness/laopdr19
 Warehouse Management Training
Lao PDR Preparedness

Lessons 5 and 7
• The warehouse and recent flood operations scenarios were a good way to demonstrate the importance of setting up a
strong warehouse flow and layout. A tour of the WFP warehouse layout and procedures provided a guidance on best
practices. Participants were then asked to identify improvements required in the MLSW warehouse and they
highlighted many of them.
• This exercise highlighted more particularly the difficulty in case donated items were placed directly in the main
warehouse without sorting and repacking first.
• Recommendations for managing donated items for both prevention, sorting and repacking were made, and a list of
preparedness activities that could minimise the burden of unwanted or mixed donations provided. This has been added
to the GLC Logistics preparedness project action plan as a future priority activity.

Lesson 6
The stock management process and related forms were unfamiliar to most participants. Sessions were provided in the
classroom and in the warehouse using scenarios requiring them to identify and fill out the forms. Suggestions for small changes
to the forms to make it easier to capture the item descriptions and weight were raised which was positive. These changes will be
collated by MLSW before the forms are finalised and carbon copy note pads of the Waybill and Goods received notes will be
printed.

The flowchart about Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) instructs which form are to be used when, and it was suggested that
a large copy in colour is laminated and placed in each of the warehouses. It is likely that additional training will be required to
sustain the implementation of the forms for receipt and movement of relief items, particularly if there is a long gap for the
provinces in capturing the receipt of relief items.

Participation in stacking, stock sorting, stock counting plus the filling out stack cards and stock cards was positive, and the
purpose and added value of these documents was understood.

The warehouse operator demonstrated how to update the electronic stock record, however there were many stock cards still
left to be entered by the time the training finished. The project will follow up with the storeman to ensure the warehouse record
is updated and to reinforce the learning of the stock record input. A guidance document has been written to assist.

An office space is needed in the warehouse to assist with the recording and storage of stock records. WFP CO is assisting with
refurbishing the warehouse to make it a humanitarian hub for relief items.

https://logcluster.org/preparedness/laopdr19
 Warehouse Management Training
Lao PDR Preparedness

Warehouse practical training: sorting stacks and writing stack and stock cards.

Evaluation

Expectations were captured from participants in the warehouse management training outcomes and served as a baseline to
evaluate if the training was meeting its own objectives. The expectations were reviewed at the end of the warehouse training on
the last day to determine if the training successfully met participants needs.

Participants Expectations and findings:

1. Learn how to manage the warehouse - met
2. Learn how to do stock receipt, maintenance, dispatch - met
3. Know how to manage the warehouse system - met
4. The process of warehouse management for disaster response - met
5. Exchange lesson learned with expert and local staff of warehouse management - met
6. Want to learn about international standards for warehouse management – met
7. Train district and community level – not met, but to be addressed in next steps.

https://logcluster.org/preparedness/laopdr19
Warehouse Management Training
Lao PDR Preparedness

Next steps

• Stock recording forms to be updated by MLSW and waybill and Good Receipt Notes (GRN) to be printed by the Logistics
Cluster. The stock form package will be then handed to MLSW to implement and monitor warehouse management
activities.
• The Preparedness Officer to follow up with MLSW storeman to ensure stock recording is completed, process and
knowledge have been captured and understood so they can be retained.
• Advocate for the appointment of a full-time logistics officer in MLSW to manage the warehouse, maintain/sustain all
Logistics preparedness training, SOP’s guidelines and documents, and assist roll out of logistics training at sub-national
level.
• Prepare the rollout of warehouse trainings to north, central and southern Provinces in a format similar to the MSU
assembly Training of Trainer to train district level staff and reinforce learning of provincial and national staff.

https://logcluster.org/preparedness/laopdr19
Warehouse Management Training
Lao PDR Preparedness

Appendix 1 - Participants

Name Organisation
1 Mr. Phutphousam Luangouthoumthong MLSW
2 Mr. Sathaphone Ouandala MLSW
3 Mr. Phonethavy Thammavong MLSW
4 Ms. Vilaykhone Keobounthan MLSW
5 Mr. Sackda Bouakhamsith MLSW
6 Ms. Fanta Douangmany MLSW
7 Mr. Dethmixay Vanhnachok NSSF
8 Ms. Patee Yang MLSW
9 Mr. Souksavanh Chanthavong Lao Red cross
10 Ms. Salita Vongchanhdy Lao Red cross
11 Mr. Tengxiong Suenou DLSW of Luangprabang
12 Mr. Sithone Philachanh DLSW of Sayyabouly
13 Mr. Bounthong Phimmachuk DLSW of Vientiane
14 Mr. Bounthong Ouanphachanh DLSW of Phongsaly
15 Mr. Ludthanaphasouk Khetthavong DLSW of Bolikhamxay
16 Mr. Sithan Heaungxayyanang DLSW of Attapeu
17 Mr. Bounphanoumvanh Malathong DLSW of Saravanh
18 Mr. Souksan DLSW of Sekong
19 Ms. Khamsavern Keokhoun DLSW of Savanhnakhet
20 Mr. Soualor Nyiachue DLSW of Saysomboun
21 Mr. Chounphilap DLSW of Attapeu
22 Mr. Bounpheng Onphachanh DLSW of Oudomxay
23 Mr. Souksavanh Luangyeekhammatha DLSW of Houaphanh
24 Mr. Xanaphoun Khamteephong DLSW of Khammouane
25 Mr. Saythala Borkhamban DLSW of Xiengkhouang
26 Mr. Nyotxay Anhasa DLSW of Champasack
27 Mr. Sounalin Chitdala DLSW of Luangnamtha
28 Mr. Bounmee Keomanychanh DLSW of Borkeo

https://logcluster.org/preparedness/laopdr19